


Peacemaking

by MrProphet



Category: Master of Orion
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 14:58:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10699389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrProphet/pseuds/MrProphet





	Peacemaking

The scene on the viewscreen was one of unmitigated horror. Clouds of spilled water and atmosphere hung like a shroud around the drifting wreckage. Fires flickered briefly in the darkness as the last traces of escaping air fanned them into life. 

Past the devastation of the system patrols, the great warfleet of the Rift Dominion surrounded Altair, radiating heat from their sinks as their heavy weapons charged for a planetary bombardment.

"Full speed ahead," Captain Yast commanded. "Open broadcast. Transmit and receive visual communications."

Elek-233 hissed and ticked as its cybernetic linkages manipulated the ship's systems.

Yast drew herself up to her full height. "This is Captain Siondra Yast of the New Orion Republic Cruiser  _Eye of the Sun_ ," she announced. "In the name of the Republic, I demand that all Dominion vessels stand down and leave this system immediately."

There was a short pause and then the screen flickered and an armoured figure appeared. Like Yast he was human, although the armour was designed to conceal species as far as possible. "This is Commander Drake of the Dominion flotilla. Your ship is a scout cruiser, not a warship; leave before you get caught up in something too big for you."

Yast set her jaw. "Commander Drake; I represent the Republic in this. Stand down or we will engage with all force."

Drake sneered. "Your weapons are no threat to us. This communication is a distraction." The stream went dark.

Yast sighed. "Engage targeting beams; send the signal."

"Fleet inbound," Commander Tehan reported; his eyes were closed, as always, his extrasensory gifts regarding the entire sector at once.

Behind the  _Eye_ , space tore open and five vessels exited phasespace.

"Query: Signal fleet to open fire?" Elek-233 asked.

"Wait," Yast ordered. "Put the transmission through."

233 knew better than to ask how Yast knew there was a transmission incoming.

Drake looked far less arrogant now. "If you attack, we will destroy Altair," he said, without formality.

"Commander," Yast said coolly, "five doom stars of the Orion Fleet have targeted your ships with stellar converters. If we attack, you might manage to drop a few hundred bombs, but the fighters now converging on you will destroy anything larger. I am giving you one chance to withdraw because mercy is a primary tenet of the Republic's code of ethics. If you do not power down weapons  _at once_  the AIs controlling the doom stars will fire in accordance with their programming.

"Mercy is  _not_  included in their core directives."

The screen went dark again. Jast held her breath for a long moment.

At last, the Dominion fleet powered down their weapons and moved away from the planet.

Jast let out her breath in a slow sigh. "All right," she said. "Now the tricky bit. Engage stealth and plot a pursuit course. It is time that we finish this."


End file.
